The owners of property identified as a future SMART train station in northeast Petaluma say the rail agency has driven them into foreclosure with unfair practices.

The Petaluma City Council has affirmed its support — though just barely — for reducing the number of traffic lanes through the heart of the downtown shopping district. Many downtown merchants believe the reduction of lanes could throttle traffic so much as to make motorists — and therefore shoppers — avoid the area altogether.

The three winning candidates for Petaluma City Council were also the top fund-raisers during the November campaign, according to election financial reports released this week. Incumbent Council members Teresa Barrett and Mike Harris raised the most money, along with newly elected Chris Albertson. See how much it costs to run a winning council campaign in Petaluma.

After three unofficial votes to fill its vacant seventh seat, the Petaluma City Council Monday night deadlocked again and opted to delay the decision for another month. “It would be counterproductive to go further with this, because it will serve to tear apart the body of six that is up here right now,” Mayor David Glass said.

UPDATE 8:45 AM: Twenty Petaluma residents — including former mayor and longtime Councilwoman Pam Torliatt — submitted formal applications Thursday to fill the potentially game-changing vacant seat on an ideologically split city council. See who else has tossed their name into the hat.

The list of contenders for the seventh Petaluma City Council seat, which likely will be filled early next year, may look a whole lot like the November ballot — only maybe longer. Five of six serious candidates who unsuccessfully ran for City Council on Nov. 2 have confirmed they will seek to be appointed to the remaining two years of incoming Mayor David Glass’ council term. And outgoing Mayor Pam Torliatt says she may also apply. See who’s tossing their hat in the ring.

UPDATE 7 AM: Petaluma may be headed to a deadlocked City Council as voters selected a mayoral candidate backed by environmental advocates and two pro-business candidates. Councilman David Glass, a member of the current slow-growth council majority, defeated Jeff Mayne. Incumbents Mike Harris and Teresa Barrett and retired fire chief Chris Albertson led the race for three council seats with all precincts reporting.

Who is raising the most money in the Petaluma city council and mayor’s races? Of the five candidates who garnered the most contributions from Oct. 1 through Oct. 16, four are backed primarily by business interests and city employees.

For Petaluma voters, the City Council and mayoral election Nov. 2 provide a distinct choice: reinforcement of the current progressive majority or a change to pro-business interests. Today, we turn the WSC spotlight on Petaluma.

If you look at their contributors, the candidates for Petaluma City Council and mayor are clearly divided between progressive and building interests. A breakdown of the new campaign finance reports.